Page 26 of Laurels and Liquor

“I… I’ve never done this before,” I admit, not looking at her.

Lex gives me a small, sympathetic smile that doesn’t really do anything to help with my nerves before crossing back to stand in front of me. She looks me up and down, and I wrap my arms around my middle, slumping my shoulders forward to make myself smaller under her assessing stare. After what feels like an hour, she reaches down and takes one of my hands in hers.

“There’re no expectations of what happens tonight, Lydia. We can drink this wine and watch television and go to sleep, and that’ll be just as satisfying as anything we could do in the bedroom. The only thing that matters is that we’re together,” she says emphatically.

As I look up slightly into her face, I’m struck again by how beautiful she is. The angle of her jaw, the perfect Cupid’s bow of her red-tinted lips, the creamy perfection of her skin. Everything about her is perfect. And she’s looking at me like I’m something extraordinary, when it’s her who is too good to be true. I bring a hand up to brush along her cheekbone, and she leans into my touch with a gentle purr, closing her eyes. Her responsiveness emboldens me, and I lean in to give her a gentle kiss before moving down her neck, trailing soft kisses as I go.

“I want to, wantyou, so bad. I just… I don’t know what I’m doing,” I whisper, flushing slightly with embarrassment.

Her purr turns into a sultry growl, and her grip on my waist tightens. She turns us and I stumble a little as she leans forward, forcing me back until we hit the kitchen island. She sets down the bottle before seizing a fistful of my hair and cranking my head back. I gasp and shiver as I give in to her touch, staying in place even as she lets go.

“Such a good, obedient omega, you are. I’d love to just take you to my playroom and have my wicked way with you, but I think we need to have a conversation first, hmm?” she says lightly, leaving me plenty of room to respond how I want.

I blink for a moment, not quite understanding before it occurs to me. Before Rhett and I played for the first time, we talked about our rules and limits. Lex and I have talked a little, but nothing was ever set in stone. I tilt my head back up and grab the wine, taking a long pull before setting it back down with a nod. Lex leans in and kisses me again, leaving me panting after she pushes off and heads to the living room.

Following behind, I sit on one end of the couch with my legs tucked under me as Lex perches herself in one of the armchairs, sitting sideways so her crossed legs dangle over one of the arms. With the setting sun behind her, she looks like a goddess of light and sex, waiting to be worshipped as she rightly deserves.

“I’ve talked with Rhett, and I know a little about your limits. No spitting, face slapping, or name calling. Is it okay if I call you by your designation?” Lex starts, jumping right into the deep end.

I nod, flushing. “It doesn’t sound like an insult when you do it. Not like…”

I trail off, trying not to lose myself in the memories that are threatening to bubble to the surface. Thankfully, Lex is plenty distracting, her spicy scent filling the air between us.

“My limits are very… niche, and at this stage, I think telling you about them would do more harm than good. But if you ever want to try something, don’t hesitate to ask. I don’t expect this to be the last conversation we have about limits,” she goes on, looking at me in the face even as my eyes wander to the hint of cleavage this position offers.

I swallow, nodding again. My mouth is coated with citrus and bay leaves, fruit and liquor, and it’s becoming harder to focus. I clench my fists hard enough for my nails to dig into my palms, the bite of pain helping me concentrate.

“Rhett and I use a traffic light system for safe words. I’d like to keep using that,” I say, spine straightening.

Lex smiles and tilts her chin in acknowledgement. “I won’t lie to you, Lydia. Playing with me won’t be like playing with Rhett, or Mateo, even if he won’t admit that’s what he’s doing. There’s something inside of me that only comes out in that playroom, and while I’d never violate your trust, I need you to understand that I won’t hold your hand. When I ask you to do something, it’s because I know you’re capable of it, and you will respect that. If I give you a command, I expect it to be obeyed without question or hesitation. And there will be consequences for not doing so, or for breaking my rules,” she says seriously, her smile turning a bit feral.

My stomach jumps, the hairs on the back of my neck lifting slightly. The primal part of my mind sits up and takes notice of her, like a rabbit scenting a fox on a passing breeze. The threat of danger makes my heart race, but the promise of reward makes my pussy ache.

“What are the rules, then?” I ask, throat dry.

Lex gives me another assessing look, and I don’t dare to move a muscle. Her eyes burn through me, all my worries crumbling to ash and leaving me raw, exposed, but in the best way. I don’t know if I could feel more vulnerable if I were dancing naked in the middle of Times Square.

“I want your obedience, my lovely. Your complete submission. When you enter my domain, you are my toy, my little plaything. I don’t want you to think, just feel and react. As long as you do that, then you have nothing to fear and everything to gain.”

Her words drip like honey in the air, each one a decadent treat that I savor. It’s almost as if she’s casting a spell over me, pulling the deepest, more intrinsic parts of my nature to the surface. Letting go, being free to just experience sounds like heaven. And as the thought occurs to me, I fall from the couch and onto my knees, ready to worship the goddess before me.

“Please, ma’am. I want that, want to be that for you. Teach me,” I gasp, closing my eyes and letting my head fall forward in supplication.

There’s a long stretch of silence, and then I hear her move, shifting in her chair and getting to her feet. I don’t look up, keeping my hands loose at my sides like Rhett taught me. Her warmth radiates from her body as she stops in front of me, but I don’t look up.

“I’d had plans, but I can’t say no to a pretty little omega, begging so nicely on her knees for me. I’ll teach you a lesson in pleasing me, and if you pass, I will give you a reward. Does that sound like fun, my lovely?”

I can’t nod fast or hard enough, eager for the chance to show her how much I want to please her. She laughs, and I let out an involuntary moan as she grips my chin hard and pulls my head up to look into her face. From this angle, I can’t quite see up her skirt, but I can smell the fruit and spice of her arousal, and I don’t miss the way her thighs rub together ever so slightly as she looks down at me.

“Words,” she corrects sternly.

“Yes, ma’am. Please. I want to learn,” I whimper, no hesitation at all.

“Good girl.”

My whole body shudders under praise and after she pulls me to my feet, I practically float on air as she leads me down the hall that would normally lead to Rhett’s room in the suite. But instead, we stop at the door I’ve only ever dared peek into once: the playroom. I expect to go right in, but Lex pauses and turns back to me with serious eyes.

“Once we step in here, you will address me as your Domina. You will be at my mercy, and only your safe words will stop what’s to come. Do you understand?” she asks, looking me directly in the eye.

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